Build your own Canadian coat of arms

A coat of arms has traditionally been a symbol of belonging. It signals that the bearer is a member of a family, company, region or other group. But it’s also long been a symbol of individuality — a coat of arms can be unique to one person.

For Canada Day, we wanted to help Canadians create a modern-day coat of arms that would celebrate the Canadian spirit.

But this is likely different from any you’ve seen before. Although all the elements are here, including a crest, a motto and shield, you won’t find any Latin phrases or flying dragons. Instead, your specially created Canadian emblem is more likely to contain beer and a beaver. And although we’d be delighted if your personalized Canadian coat of arms ended up adorning the gates of your mansion or framed and hanging on the wall of your castle, we’d be just as happy if you’d share it on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #CanadianCoatofArms

Using the interactive tool above (click “Get Started”) to answer the nine questions, we invite you to build your own distinctive Canadian coat of arms. In fact, build several — there are approximately 5.7 million possible combinations to choose from.

NOTE: For best results, use desktop for this interactive feature.

Of course, there are always options that aren’t included. If you have an idea for options to add to the coat of arms creator, please share them in the comments.